by John Mead.
Just two days after our never say die late win against The Stones we go into battle again at Meadow Park.
Unlike Wealdstone, the recent meetings between ourselves and Johnson Hippolyte’s Magpies have gone very much in our favour. We have lost just once in our last eight meetings, that being two seasons ago at York Road. The three hour journey there that evening has certainly stayed in the memory far longer than our performance!
Our visitors have flirted with relegation every season since we came up, going on massive unbeaten runs, before conceding in the last minute of something like seven consecutive games last campaign making it a real feature length heart in the mouth experience for their fans.
Things are different this season however. A fantastic new stand at York Road, already enjoyed during our game with Hayes and Yeading, comes with some improvements on the field of play to match. In come a trio of Non League household names with vast experience. 33 year old centre back Simon Downer left Sutton United to join the Magpies, whilst Ashley Nicholls returns for his third spell after leaving Bromley.
The trio is completed by Eddie Hutchinson a 32 year old attacking midfielder whose professional career began at Brentford, before featuring for Oxford United and Crawley Town, then gaining Non League experience at Havant and Waterlooville and more recently Eastbourne Borough.
However where there is experience there is youth keen to learn and Drax has a number of loan signings doing just that at the moment. Will Britt is a 19 year old goalkeeper on Southampton’s books, Connor Waldon a striker from Swindon Town of a similar age and Devante McKain, a 20 year old back on loan at his former club to play alongside the experienced Downer.
Dave Tarpey, back for a second spell in the Conference South after returning to Hampton and Richmond Borough from Farnborough already has eight goals to his name in the League this season and as usual will take some stopping!
United will be fresh after a nine day break with the F A Cup spoiling their fixture list, but with Wood keen to stay top of the pile lets hope the boys show the ruthless streak that saw them pull that late late win out of the bag on Saturday!
Come On You Wood!
Boreham Wood v Maidenhead United, Monday November 10th, kick off 7.45pm.
